Family ties to Scottish company involved in battle to beat COVID-19

Symbiosis Pharmaceutical Services, a Life Sciences company based in Stirling which was founded in 2011 by Professor Mackay’s brother Colin MacKay, has signed a supply agreement with AstraZeneca to provide sterile manufacture of a Covid 19 vaccine, known as AZD1222.

Symbiosis will provide AstraZeneca, who have signed a licensing agreement with Oxford University, fast-track access to sterile vaccine drug product manufacturing capacity for clinical trials.

Trials of this particular vaccine are the most advanced in the world and it is safe to inject into people. Several NHS staff in Glasgow have agreed to have this vaccine in an effort to see if it works.

Colin MacKay, CEO of Symbiosis commented: “Our team is immensely proud to be able to make a highly meaningful contribution to the global fight against COVID-19 and the urgent efforts to develop a successful vaccine. With many years of direct experience manufacturing medicines and vaccines of this nature for clinical trials and commercial markets, we are delighted to be able to leverage our expertise and competitive strengths to accelerate the development of this vaccine for AstraZeneca and to add value to the project.”

Professor Mackay said: “I am obviously very proud of my brother and his company’s involvement in the race to find an effective vaccine that will help save lives I, and I’m sure everyone else will join me in hoping that the trials are a complete success.”